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Shibata T, Bhat SA, Cao D, Saito S, Bernstein EA, Nishi E, Medenilla JD, Wang ET, Chan JL, Pisarska MD, Tourtellotte WG, Giani JF, Bernstein KE, Khan Z. Testicular ACE regulates sperm metabolism and fertilization through the transcription factor PPARγ. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105486. [PMID: 37992807 PMCID: PMC10788540 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Testis angiotensin-converting enzyme (tACE) plays a critical role in male fertility, but the mechanism is unknown. By using ACE C-domain KO (CKO) mice which lack tACE activity, we found that ATP in CKO sperm was 9.4-fold lower than WT sperm. Similarly, an ACE inhibitor (ACEi) reduced ATP production in mouse sperm by 72%. Metabolic profiling showed that tACE inactivation severely affects oxidative metabolism with decreases in several Krebs cycle intermediates including citric acid, cis-aconitic acid, NAD, α-ketoglutaric acid, succinate, and L-malic acid. We found that sperms lacking tACE activity displayed lower levels of oxidative enzymes (CISY, ODO1, MDHM, QCR2, SDHA, FUMH, CPT2, and ATPA) leading to a decreased mitochondrial respiration rate. The reduced energy production in CKO sperms leads to defects in their physiological functions including motility, acrosine activity, and fertilization in vitro and in vivo. Male mice treated with ACEi show severe impairment in reproductive capacity when mated with female mice. In contrast, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) had no effect. CKO sperms express significantly less peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) transcription factor, and its blockade eliminates the functional differences between CKO and WT sperms, indicating PPARγ might mediate the effects of tACE on sperm metabolism. Finally, in a cohort of human volunteers, in vitro treatment with the ramipril or a PPARγ inhibitor reduced ATP production in human sperm and hence its motility and acrosine activity. These findings may have clinical significance since millions of people take ACEi daily, including men who are reproductively active.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Shibata
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Shabir A Bhat
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - DuoYao Cao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Suguru Saito
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ellen A Bernstein
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erika Nishi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Juliet D Medenilla
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erica T Wang
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jessica L Chan
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Margareta D Pisarska
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Warren G Tourtellotte
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jorge F Giani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kenneth E Bernstein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Zakir Khan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Zhang X, Sai L, Zhang W, Kan X, Jia Q, Bo C, Yin W, Shao H, Han M, Peng C. M 6A transcriptome-wide map of circRNAs identified in the testis of normal and AZ-treated Xenopus laevis. Genes Environ 2023; 45:23. [PMID: 37658417 PMCID: PMC10472591 DOI: 10.1186/s41021-023-00279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence showed that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is strongly associated with male germline development. However, the role of m6A methylation on circRNAs in amphibians remains unknown. In this study, we conducted m6A sequencing analysis to explore the m6A transcriptome-wide profile of circRNAs in testis tissues of Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) with and without treatment with 100 µg/L atrazine (AZ). RESULTS The analysis showed that m6A modification of circRNAs enriched in sense overlapping in testes of X. laevis. We identified the differential m6A modification sites within circRNAs in testes of AZ-exposed X. laevis and compared that with animals from control group. The results showed that a total of 1507 methylated m6A sites was induced by AZ (760 up-methylated and 747 down-methylated). The cross-analysis exhibited a negative correlation of differentially methylated m6A peaks and circRNAs expression level. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that 20 key pathways may be involved in the mechanism of testis damage of AZ-exposed X. laevis. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicated that differentially m6A-methylated circRNAs may play important roles in abnormal testis development of AZ-exposed X. laevis. This study is the first report about a map of m6A modification of circRNAs in male X. laevis and provides a basis for further studying on the function and mechanism of m6A methylation of circRNAs in the testis development of amphibian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Linlin Sai
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Weiliang Zhang
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Xingzheng Kan
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiang Jia
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Cunxiang Bo
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhui Yin
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Hua Shao
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Mingming Han
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
- Eusyn Institute of Health Science, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
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G-Protein Coupled Receptors in Human Sperm: An In Silico Approach to Identify Potential Modulatory Targets. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196503. [PMID: 36235040 PMCID: PMC9571544 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in several physiological processes, and they represent the largest family of drug targets to date. However, the presence and function of these receptors are poorly described in human spermatozoa. Here, we aimed to identify and characterize the GPCRs present in human spermatozoa and perform an in silico analysis to understand their potential role in sperm functions. The human sperm proteome, including proteomic studies in which the criteria used for protein identification was set as <5% FDR and a minimum of 2 peptides match per protein, was crossed with the list of GPCRs retrieved from GLASS and GPCRdb databases. A total of 71 GPCRs were identified in human spermatozoa, of which 7 had selective expression in male tissues (epididymis, seminal vesicles, and testis), and 9 were associated with male infertility defects in mice. Additionally, ADRA2A, AGTR1, AGTR2, FZD3, and GLP1R were already associated with sperm-specific functions such as sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction, and motility, representing potential targets to modulate and improve sperm function. Finally, the protein-protein interaction network for the human sperm GPCRs revealed that 24 GPCRs interact with 49 proteins involved in crucial processes for sperm formation, maturation, and fertilization. This approach allowed the identification of 8 relevant GPCRs (ADGRE5, ADGRL2, GLP1R, AGTR2, CELSR2, FZD3, CELSR3, and GABBR1) present in human spermatozoa that can be the subject of further investigation to be used even as potential modulatory targets to treat male infertility or to develop new non-hormonal male contraceptives.
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dos Santos LLM, Alves MG, Chies AB, Spadella MA. Losartan Attenuates Radiation-Induced Damage on Testes and Accelerates Tubular Regeneration. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:904804. [PMID: 36303628 PMCID: PMC9580693 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.904804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Male germ cells are particularly susceptible to radiation; infertility being a common consequence after radiotherapy as it impairs spermatogenesis. This study aimed to test whether treatment with losartan (LOS), a selective antagonist of angiotensin II receptor subtype 1 (AT1R), can prevent or attenuate the acute and long-term radiation-induced damage to testes. Wistar rats were randomly distributed into six groups, three of which were studied on day 2 after irradiation: control (CTRL 2), irradiated non-treated (IR 2), and irradiated and treated with LOS (IRLOS 2); and three other groups that were studied on day 60 after irradiation: control (CTRL 60), irradiated non-treated (IR 60), and irradiated and treated with LOS (IRLOS 60). Seven consecutive days before and on the day of irradiation with 2.5 Gy directly administered in the scrotum, the animals were treated with LOS (34 mg/kg/two times/day). This treatment was continued 2 or 60 days after irradiation. The sperm quality was assessed from epididymis cauda. In addition, the testes were submitted to histopathological and morphometric-stereological analysis as well as the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) quantification. Serum FSH and LH and plasma testosterone levels were also determined. The data obtained 2 days after the irradiation showed germ cell apoptosis, formation of vacuoles in the seminiferous epithelium, sloughing of germ cells into the lumen, and retention and phagocytosis of step-19 spermatids in Sertoli basal cytoplasm. The treatment with LOS in this period did not prevent or attenuate a radio-induced damage to the testes, illustrating that this drug does not protect against apoptosis derived from direct effects of radiation. On the other hand, 60 days after exposure, the data evidenced the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation on the testes as decreasing of testicular, epididymal, and seminal vesicle masses; tubular atrophy; reduction of cellular proliferation; and loss of germ cells. LOS was able to prevent some of those deleterious effects, promoting improvements in seminal vesicle mass, sperm vitality, plasma testosterone levels, vacuole number, and cell proliferation. In conclusion, inhibition of the AngII/AT1R axis by LOS is effective in protecting the indirect/delayed radiation damage resulting from oxidative stress established in the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco G. Alves
- Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB) and Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology and Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Agnaldo Bruno Chies
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Marília Medical School – FAMEMA, Marília, Brazil
| | - Maria Angélica Spadella
- Laboratory of Human Embryology, Marília Medical School – FAMEMA, Marília, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Maria Angélica Spadella
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